Spaying

Media today have been making a fuss about how pets may overpopulate an average house in the future. One or two pups may be considered “cute” by a lot of people, but a litter with more than two is quite too much. This is the problem by most dog owners as a lot of them do not have much space for a huge mob of dogs. One may have a hard time thinking what on the world are they going to do with the rest of the pups. Because of this problem, it is not surprising that a lot of dog owners have considered spaying to generally limit or control the rate of population of your dogs (and cats) at home and avoid the birth of unwelcome litter.        

Spaying is basically the removal of an animal’s gonads through surgical procedure. This is a very effective way of sterilizing your pet dog, making it unable to produce a new mob of pups which may cause hassle and stress to the owner. One usually brings his/ her dogs to the veterinarian for spaying to ensure the pet’s safety. Usually, the term “spaying” is used for female pets, while “neutering” is for male. However, before making the next move, you may want to consider some of the advantages and disadvantages that can be acquired through spaying.

The Perks

The most apparent benefit that owners may get from spaying is the prevention of any litter which may pester or annoy the dog owner. Aside from this, the occurrence of mammary tumors among female dogs is greatly reduced. Spaying a female dog before its first heat is important as the percentage is reduced by up to 25%. Another benefit that can be acquired from this is the maintenance of fur quality. During “heated” moments, the estrogen from the ovaries surges throughout the dog’s system which causes its fur to appear thin and its skin to be slightly exposed. Dogs that are spayed maintain their fur because of the absence of cycling hormones. Pyometra, a severe uterine disease is prevented if the whole uterus is removed during spaying. Your dog’s life span may also be increased because it will have a comfortable life and less stress as they will not experience giving birth and unexpected cycle surges.

The Drawbacks

Although many owners have their dogs spayed for the benefit of both parties, it may also cause some drawbacks that you may want to think of first. Initially, spaying is a surgical procedure. Any surgical procedure done will put your pet at risk for bleeding, anesthesia overdose and infection. There is an increased risk for hypothyroidism to occur. Because of this, the frequency of obesity also increases among spayed dogs probably due to some changes in the metabolic rate and eating habits. Urinary incontinence can develop among female dogs; incidences rise from 4.9% to up to 20%. Spayed dogs can also develop an increased chance of adverse reactions to vaccines and other medications by up to 38%.

Spaying is commonly an irreversible procedure. One must think a million times before having your pet spayed. Weighing the possible pains and gains from this procedure will help you come up with the best decision you can possibly make for your pet.